FCS8997
Raising Healthy Children: Food Allergies1
Lauren Headrick, Karla P. Shelnutt, and Gail P. A. Kauwell2
Food Allergy Basics
Figure 1.
If you are the caregiver of a child with a newly diagnosed
food allergy, you may feel scared, confused, and anxious.
You are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, over three million children under
the age of 18 have food allergies, and this number is growing rapidly. Food allergies can be caused by many different
foods. The symptoms caused by eating these foods can
range from a mild skin rash to serious breathing problems.
This article highlights the causes and symptoms of an
allergic reaction, as well as the steps to take if your child
has been diagnosed with a food allergy. Also included are
recipes and possible changes to your family’s diet that can
help make meal time easier.
A child’s first allergic reaction often happens before the age
of 5. Most food allergies are to foods that contain milk or
milk products, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, cashews,
and pecans), wheat products, soy, fish, or shellfish (clams,
oysters, scallops, shrimp, and lobster). Other less common
food allergies can also occur. The exact cause of food
allergies is not well understood. Allergies may be caused
by a genetic factor, a mother’s diet while breastfeeding a
baby prone to allergies, or foods other than breast milk or
formula introduced too early in life. An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system is tricked into thinking that
a food is harmful to the body. This sets off a reaction in the
body that results in the symptoms observed. Children often
outgrow food allergies to cow’s milk, egg, soy and wheat,
but allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, or shellfish usually
continue throughout life.
If a member of your family has a food allergy and you think
your child may be at risk for developing one, there are some
things you can do to minimize the risk:
1. Feed only breast milk to the baby during the first four to
six months of life.
2. Avoid eating nuts while breastfeeding.
3. Introduce new foods one at a time starting at about
four to six months of age. Waiting longer than this does
1. This document is FCS8997, one of a series of the Family, Youth and Community Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date
March 2012. Revised June 2015. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Lauren Headrick, dietetic intern, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department; Karla Shelnutt, PhD, RDN, assistant professor, Department of Family,
Youth and Community Sciences; and Gail P. A. Kauwell, PhD, RDN, LD/N, professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department; UF/IFAS Extension,
Gainesville, FL 32611.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services
only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status,
national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County
Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.
not seem to reduce the risk for food allergies. It may even
increase the chance of developing food allergies.
Symptoms
A child’s response to a food allergy is much like a snowflake: no two are alike. The severity and types of symptoms
vary from person to person, and a child’s reaction to the
food can be different each time it is eaten. Symptoms can
occur within minutes after eating the food or hours later.
Mild Symptoms
One of the first clues that your child has a food allergy may
be mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, sneezing, hives, or
an itchy rash. These symptoms are often blamed on things
other than a food allergy, but it is important to find out if it
is a food allergy as soon as possible.
Severe Symptoms
The more often your child is exposed to the allergen,
the more severe the symptoms tend to get. More severe
symptoms include abdominal pain, swelling of the lips or
throat, vomiting and diarrhea, a drop in blood pressure,
and anaphylaxis (pronounced ana-fill-axis). Anaphylaxis is
the most severe type of reaction. It can affect more than one
body organ or tissue at a time, including the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, heart, and circulatory
system. Symptoms often start with flushing (reddening) of
the face, neck, or upper chest or hives (red bumps that may
be itchy) and then move to other parts of the body. Tightening of the airway, which makes it difficult to breathe, and
a drop in blood pressure can result in anaphylactic shock,
which can be deadly. If you suspect your child has a food
allergy, it is important to check with your doctor as soon as
possible to reduce the chances of a serious event.
Managing a New Diagnosis
What if your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy?
Once a specific food allergy is identified, there are steps you
can take to cope with the situation. The first step is to learn
about the specific allergy and to teach your child how to
avoid foods that may cause a reaction. It is also important
to know how to respond if a severe reaction occurs.
Preventing Future Allergic Reactions
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food
labels to clearly state if a food contains one of the following
allergens: milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, or
certain shellfish (e.g., shrimp, prawns, crab, and lobster).
However, not all foods are regulated by the FDA. For this
Raising Healthy Children: Food Allergies
reason, ingredient lists on food labels are your best friend if
your child has a food allergy. Learning to read food labels is
the first step in preventing future allergic reactions. Looking for the specific name of the food to which your child is
allergic is not enough. Some products may come in contact
with allergens during production, which could cause a reaction in children with severe allergies. For example, plain
chocolate candy may contain a small amount of peanuts if
it is made in the same building as a peanut-containing version. Federal law states that these products must be labeled
“May contain…,” “Might contain…,” “Made in a shared
facility…,” or a similar phrase if one of the eight most common allergens could be present. Visit the Kids With Food
Allergies Foundation website (KidsWithFoodAllergies.org)
for a list of ingredients that signal the presence of various
food allergens. Also keep in mind that food ingredients can
change. Be sure to check the label before serving a food to
your child. This may seem hard to manage at first, but with
practice and patience, meal planning and grocery shopping
will become easier with time.
The second step in preventing an allergic reaction is to
prepare the food so that it does not come in contact with
the allergen. Clean all utensils and surfaces before preparing your child’s food to ensure the allergen is not present.
Finally, educate your child’s school or daycare provider
on the hazards of food allergies. Supporting your child in
taking a role in preventing allergic reactions can reduce the
risk involved when eating away from home.
Responding to an Allergic Reaction
Even with careful inspection of your child’s food, allergic
reactions can still occur. Accidental exposures to allergens
are common, so knowing how to react can make a difference in the outcome. Remember, not all reactions are the
same. Talk with your child’s doctor to create an emergency
plan and obtain the medications needed to treat a reaction.
A form that you can use to outline a plan of action can
be found at the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network’s
website (http://www.foodallergy.org/faap).
Changes to Your Family’s Diet
Taking certain foods out of your child’s or family’s diet can
lead to a shortage of some nutrients. Replacing foods that
contain the allergen with foods that have similar nutrients
is a great way to make sure your family’s nutritional needs
are being met. A list of foods that can be used in place of
the eight most common food allergens can be found on the
Kids With Food Allergies Foundation website (KidsWithFoodAllergies.org). In addition, there are multiple food
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allergy cookbooks available to help caregivers prepare safe
meals at home.
• The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) –
http://www.foodallergy.org
Summary
• Food Allergy Action Plan – http://www.foodallergy.org/
faap.
The cause of food allergies is not known. While some food
allergies develop in early childhood and disappear before
late childhood, others continue throughout life. A food
allergy occurs when the immune system is tricked into
thinking that a food is harmful and mounts an attack. Signs
of an allergic reaction to a food range from mild ones, such
as a runny nose or sneezing, to more serious ones. The
most serious type of reaction is anaphylaxis, which can be
deadly. It is important to remember that no two allergic
reactions are the same. Symptoms can differ between
people and within each person each time a reaction occurs.
As a caregiver, it is important to pay close attention to all
ingredients in the foods your child will be eating to prevent
future reactions. While it may take a little longer to do your
grocery shopping, reading the ingredient list on food labels
is a necessity and becomes easier with time. Learning which
foods are safe to eat and teaching your child and your
child’s caregivers which foods to avoid is also important.
Even with your best efforts, an allergic reaction can still
occur. Create an action plan with the help of your child’s
doctor so that everyone knows what to do if a reaction
occurs.
Recipes
Below are some recipes from the Kids With Food Allergies Foundation website (KidsWithFoodAllergies.org).
For added safety and assurance, each recipe includes an
allergen-free list.
Fiesta Chicken
Allergen-Free: milk, peanut, egg, soy, tree nut, gluten,
wheat, fish, and shellfish
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, cut up
½ c. chopped onion
1½ tsp. minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. chili powder
Learn More
¼ tsp. ground cumin
To learn more about food allergies, use the resources listed
below:
1 tsp. salt
• Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences
(FCS) Educator (Look in the blue pages of your telephone
book.) UF/IFAS Extension offices are listed online at
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu or http://solutionsforyourlife.com/map/.
• For referral to a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN)
in your area, call the Florida Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics at (850) 386-8850 or check the yellow pages of
your phone book. You can also find an RDN in your area
by visiting the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Expert
Finder at http://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert.
Recommended Websites
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 lime
Instructions:
Cook chopped onion, garlic, and red pepper a few minutes
in vegetable oil. Add cut-up chicken breasts. Cook until
chicken is almost done (still a little pink), then add chili
powder, ground cumin, and salt. Stir and simmer until the
chicken is thoroughly cooked (no longer pink).
Add drained corn and black beans. Heat through. Squeeze
fresh lime juice and serve.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – http://
www.cdc.gov
• Kids With Food Allergies Foundation – http://www.
kidswithfoodallergies.org
Raising Healthy Children: Food Allergies
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Red Hot Bean Dip
Allergen-Free: milk, peanut, egg, soy, tree nut, gluten,
wheat, fish, and shellfish
Ingredients:
1 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. cooked chicken (cubed)
2 tbsp. margarine (dairy and/or soy free, as needed)
References
Abrams, E.M. and A.B. Becker 2013. Introducing Solid
Food: Age of Introduction and its Effect on Risk of Food
Allergy and Other Atopic Diseases. Canadian Family
Physician. 59(7),721-722.
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.
2015. Food Allergy. Retrieved June 17, 2015 from http://
www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/at-aglance/food-allergy.aspx.
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.
2015. Prevention of Allergies and Asthma in Children: Tips
to Remember. Retrieved June 17, 2015 from http://www.
aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/at-a-glance/
prevention-of-allergies-and-asthma-in-children.aspx
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. 2015. Allergen
Avoidance Lists. Retrieved June 17, 2015 from http://www.
kidswithfoodallergies.org/page/top-food-allergens.aspx.
MedlinePlus. 2012. Food Allergy. Retrieved June 17,
2015 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/
article/000817.htm.
2 tbsp. Original TABASCO® Sauce
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the beans and chicken broth in a blender and
blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and spices to the
blender and blend to combine.
Melt the margarine and mix in the TABASCO® Sauce. Add
the cubed chicken. In a 1½ qt. oven-proof dish, spread half
of the bean mixture in the bottom. Add the chicken mixture
and spread over the beans. Top the chicken with the rest
of the bean mixture. Bake until hot and bubbly (about 30
minutes).
Serve with celery sticks, sliced carrots, and cucumbers.
Raising Healthy Children: Food Allergies
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